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Monday, August 23, 2010

Chapatis and Pooris: One Dough Two Breads - Blue Monday

Chapatis

Pooris

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...With our trip to India, Nepal and Tibet just weeks away, I thought I'd start to experiment with some of the more common foods of the region. I do this before all of our adventures begin and, more often than not, the first dish I attempt to make is the bread of the area. I adore bread and was delighted to find that the dough I worked with for this post actually makes two Indian classics. In India, a whole-wheat flour called atta is traditionally used make these breads. The flour can be hard to come by, but a reasonable facsimile of it can be made by combining three parts of whole-wheat flour with two part of white flour. The difference between chapatis and pooris lies in how they are cooked. Chapatis, which resemble tortillas, are a flatbread that is cooked on a griddle. Pooris are deep fried to produce hollow and delicious pillows that are perfect for scooping up food. Both breads are best eaten shortly after they are made, but the dough can be made up to a day before it is cooked, if it is refrigerated in an airtight container. Here's the recipe for these tasty and easy to make breads.Chapatis and Pooris...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Nancie McDermott

Directions for Chapatis:1) Sift both flours and salt into a medium bowl.2) Add water and mix with hands to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead, adding flour as needed, until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.3) To cook chapatis, roll dough into a thin cylinder and cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Cover balls until ready to roll. Flatten each piece into a disk and place on a floured board. Roll it into a thin disk that is 4 to 5 inches in diameter.4) Using a medium frying pan set over medium-high heat, cook chapatis one at a time, turning after 1 minute and cooking second side for another 30 to 60 seconds. Press quickly and firmly at various spots on the surface to encourage it to puff.5) Remove and set aside. Cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm. Continue with remainder of dough balls, stacking them together until ready to serve. Yield: 12 chapatis. Directions for Pooris:1) Sift both flours and salt into a medium bowl.2) Add water and mix with hands to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead, adding flour as needed, until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.3) To cook pooris, roll dough into a thin cylinder and cut into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Cover balls until ready to roll out. Place a cookie sheet on work surface to hold pooris as they are rolled.4) Flatten a ball into a thin disk. Place on a floured work surface and roll into a pancake 3-inches in diameter. It should be 1/4-inch thick. Place on cookie sheet and continue to roll remainder of dough.5) In a medium frying pan set over medium heat, bring 2 cups vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Slide a pooris into oil. When it begins to puff, use a slotted spoon to press it into oil. Move spoon around the edges to help it puff. Turn it over when first side browns, about 15 to 30 seconds. Remove pooris from pan when second side is browned. Drain on paper towels. Continue with remainder of disks. Serve while hot. Yield: 16 small pooris.

The Indian lady, Kuki, who taught classes for me when I was in the "business" made lovely breads. They are so easy and make quite a hit. Your trip sounds wonderful. Remember me to the Dalai Lama. We met him, years ago, when he was visiting I.U. and his brother in Bloomington.

this post brought me wayyy back. i learned to make chapatis at a commune in the late 70's and carried it with me throughout...my favorite used to be chapatis with goat cheese and some sort of greens...I may even try the poorisHappy Monday!

Wow! You are a master, Mary! They look perfect- my puris never puff this evenly! And if you fold the chapati, then flatten, you get paratha, a slightly puffed chapati!! (like in the puff dough technique!. Is your trip to all those great places just leisure? So nice to be able to cover this much in 1 trip!

Love how different one recipe can be. It's fascinating to see similar recipes pass from culture to culture. Baking bread is the best preparation for a trip! It puts you in the mood and starts bringing the travels to your home.

These chapatis and pooris are so easily available here that I have never thought of making them...my favourite is the chapati...I was told once by a friend that she has to get the chapati to be as round as possible or face the wrath of her in laws! I wondered if she's just pulling leg?

Your breads are making my mouth water! I love these two, puris are my favourite and I pride myself on making them, but O dear, 2 years may have passed since last time!I am off to check out your older posts now, since I have been unable to check for a while. What pleasure! Cheers Mary!

WOW! You are going to enjoy the food in India.Atta is very common here and is made of whole wheat flour.It's nice that you are open to trying new dishes,these have turned out well,we too make them at home.

Oh man this looks delicious! Your pictures are gorgeous! Everything here looks so yummy!I've recently launched my own blog, I'd love for you to check it out and tell me what you think :) Thanks!www.prettygoodfood.com

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